Clesias
First off, the premise was great. Due to China's censorship about supernatural themes, the writing crew smartly decided to go down the science-fiction path: a spaceship with aliens, a different planet with three main race/species, war between the three - all in all makings of a great science-fiction show, while keeping to the original novel's intentions and message.
And yet.
Right off the bat, what could have been a great entertaining show felt more like a B-grade science fiction movie. The writing was all over the place and it was like the writers couldn't decide what to focus on with so many plotlines and cases running ahead of them. The characters, including Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, felt more like empty puppets with a headless chicken controlling them - mechanical and soulless (if not for the two actors' brilliant acting) which is starkly different to the characters in the original novel.
The cast though were so good! Bai Yu especially was able to deliver the inner loneliness of Zhao Yunlan: the way his eyes dimmed every time Zhao meets his father, the way he stares (lovingly) at Shen Wei and the fear pursing his lips in the last two episodes. Zhu Yilong was commendable too for the way he handled two drastically different roles, though sometimes it did seem that there was no difference between the two (I blame that on the writing, to be honest.) Can I just say that the chemistry between Bai and Zhu was just beautiful? It took a few episodes to get the chemistry going and that's a good thing because it's great to watch the blossoming chemistry take center-stage.
It's such a shame that such a good cast was wasted on this cringe-worthy show though.
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Go on and complain about the lack of closure in the romance aspect but for me, the fact that the love triangle is the weakest point of the show absolutely delighted me. People need to understand that this whole drama is Yeesa's story. I do agree that the driver was dealt with an unfair fate and I don't mind an spin-off episode focused on him, but this is a show that begins and ends with her. The character development of Yeesa was written beautifully, with her starting off as a naïve and passive damsel in distress in the first few episodes to someone who took responsibility for her own life and decisions.
There are so many dramas that make the female characters' lives revolve around romance but I am glad that this isn't one of them. Yeesa's main priority is never on romance, even when she meets the two male characters. Maybe she did have some interest in Ryan or she feels safe enough to share her feelings and thoughts with Ka-Chung but she has never been obvious in pursuing a relationship with any of them (or at least makes things official). She has her father and her best friends, and it makes sense that her concern will be them if she were to die.
For me, the pivotal scene of the show was her conversation with Fiona after Fiona's suicide in Episode 8. The way they had to work through the losses of their lives (Yeesa's mother and Fiona's baby) and forgive themselves for the decisions they have to make (or the mistakes that they thought they were responsible for, directly or indirectly) was written so well! Such a beautiful, touching moment between two female characters, and it is one that I hope to see more in Hong Kong dramas.
Recently, this drama became Drama of the Year (Hong Kong) in the Asian Academy Creative Awards and I am happy for them because this drama is so deserving! Compared to other dramas released in the year, Leap Day is so quiet and intimate but it is precisely this reason that the writing is able to shine through with the help of the gorgeous cinematography.
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Just finished this drama ten minutes ago and I'm absolutely speechless. It wasn't that this is a bad drama or that I felt I wasted 20 hours of my life watching this; it's the exact opposite. Never had I felt this satisfied watching a TVB drama and it wasn't just for the last episode. Even from the first 10 minutes of the first episode, I felt I was in the good hands of a capable writing team as I was led deeper and deeper into the building's corridors and creepy staircases. As the plotlines progressed and the story between Alex/Coco, Siu/Yok-Fai, and Teacher Lam began to slowly unravel, this feeling grew in me and I binged the last 4 episodes in a frenzy.
Hard to believe but this is actually TVB's second foray into urban fantasy (the first being The Exorcist's Meter, but some might put it into the supernatural genre). I think TVB has always wanted to do this kind of drama for a long time but it's either they didn't have the budget or the writing resources to do so. Plus there have been many numerous urban fantasy dramas from other countries that it seemed rather un-creative to do so. This time round, the writing team has struck gold, or rather they learned to make use of what they have in abundance around them - the real, authentic flavor of Hong Kong. What captivated me the most in the drama wasn't the fantastical elements but the characters and the social issues the different plotlines brought out. There was no character that felt like the stereotypical 2-dimension characters we often see in TVB dramas; each of them had their own struggles and motivations that pushed them down into the paths they have chosen. It is no wonder that most of the audience was upset by the way the story about the baby and the 2 mothers ended, or had tears when Gai-ye was combing the doll Mary (which actually housed Cheng Cheng's soul)'s hair. We see such characters on the screen and yet, we can't help but feel that they are breathing, living among us - they could be us or they could be any of our family or friends.
Surprisingly, there was a sparse use of CGI effects in the drama, especially in the first few episodes. But it is for this exact reason that the drama did not fall into the category of B-grade fantasy/science-fiction mindless entertainment. In the first two stories ("Dream" and "Baby"), there was never a direct explanation for the way things happened; it could be supernatural or the schemes of a grief-struck woman or just plain old coincidences. The scenes flow from events to events and it is up to the audience to decipher or connect the dots. As such, it is much easier to induce the feeling of unease in the audience as they continue watching. Also, by getting rid of unnecessary and cringing effects, the drama enables the strong writing to shine through and to focus on the messages/social issues behind the fantastical happenings, like racism, the relentless pursuit of wealth and people's approval.
The acting here is stellar, especially Selena Li who was able to play two different characters in such a distinct manner. Alex is a modern woman, carefree and simple in her wishes and desires; thus Selena's voice is higher and more cheerful when she is playing her. On the other hand, Coco had been through much and her sufferings shaped her into a matured and solitary character; Selena's voice deepens and become huskier in the role of Coco. Even her body language changes from one character to another and this is not something even a seasoned actress can accomplish. I wish the same can be said about Joel Chan. He's not terrible in the roles of both Siu and Yok-Fai - Siu is lovable and earnest, while Yok-Fai is charming and suave (one can see why Coco was so smitten with him), but Selena's performance absolutely outshines his. (Or maybe I'm just biased against him.)
I don't know what else to say without going into more tl;dr but this is a TVB drama that doesn't feel like a TVB drama but undoubtedly feels like a Hong Kong drama, made by Hong Kong, for Hong Kong. And it is such gems that we should support.
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Literally why is no one watching or talking about this drama? It can be said that this drama was the first of ViuTV's to be watched and discussed fervently among HK netizens. The depiction of the divide between the have and the have-nots, the gifted students and the underachieving students in many developed Asian countries, is something that have been done in various Hong Kong dramas, but none in quite the way as in Limited Education. Whereas other dramas will focus more on the stress felt by parents and teachers, Limited Education focused on the students and the things that matter the most to them (family, friendships and the sense of being heard / valued). The comedic antics of this bunch of unexpected student leaders bring a sort of light-heartedness to a drama that could have been quite heavy in terms of its themes / messaging and you can't help but to root for them, because the things that they put before themselves are precisely the things that you would have done.
Absolutely adored the relationship between Zhuang-Zi and Hin throughout the show. By the end of the drama, when it was hinted at them starting a romantic relationship, I was so happy for them. It's a kind of love that doesn't need to be voiced out loud, blossoming quietly when they were friends. Even when there were some misunderstandings and conflicts between them, Hin still cared deeply for Zhuang-Zi and it showed in the way he helped Zhuang-Zi. I wish there was more of them in the show, but also somehow I love that the attention wasn't on them. I love that they weren't the token gay representation in HK dramas, loud and doomed at the start, but just a natural progression of their friendship and intimacy. For now, I will just settle on my daydreams of them attending university together, of them stepping into the working world and supporting each other through everything ;___;
All in all, I found myself unexpectedly enjoying this drama! Truly a refreshing change from TVB's "plastic" characters and plots. And of course, who can ever resists the charm of Terrance Lau? What a charming and charismatic actor!
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"Stories…are where memories go when they’re forgotten.”
(Quote is from Doctor Who.)It's hard not to compare this drama with Leap Day, because I loved the prequel so much and I was expecting this drama to continue with the same tone and the thoughtful emphasis on character development more than plot progression.
In Leap Day, characters are preoccupied with time and what their future holds for them - Yeesa slowly owning her life and her decisions as she grapples with the fact that she might die in a few years time, Ryan pursuing both Yeesa and his dreams. Even supporting characters like Fiona and Yeesa's father make hard decisions in the present, so that they can continue living for the people they love, despite grieving the loss of someone important in their lives.
In 940920, the focus shifts to memories and how the characters' lives are affected by them. The constant search for missing memories drive the plot in an interesting manner - the mystery behind the death of Ka-Chung's mother and Yeesa having to live in a parallel universe with people who don't share her memories. Even from the first episode, the audience is introduced to Chau-Sok (Chor-Ying's grandfather), who has dementia and who most visibly portrayed the way the loss of memories can affect one's life. His growing despair and helplessness is heartbreakingly stark behind his smiles and happy moments with Chor-Ying as his condition takes away more and more of his consciousness. The plot arc revolving around him, slowly building in the first three episodes and culminating in the devastating scene in Episode 5, was written really well with appropriate pacing and a brilliant performance from both Yu Chi Ming and Jo Koo.
The shift in focus might be a little jarring to fans of Leap Day but I find that it plays off quite nicely to the prequel and the theme of fate / destiny. At the end, Chor-Ying's sacrifice provided the basis of better understanding the Ka-Chung we know and love in Leap Day, while cleverly showing how important she was to him. Even though all memories of her were erased in parallel universe A, the love Ka-Chung had for her was strong enough to make the other Ka-Chung in parallel universe B "remember" and turn them into a written story, a permanent record that can never be erased.
The idea of time-travelling through the polaroids is original and refreshing, even down to the small details of how the person time-travelling only has 15 minutes - around the same time taken for the image to develop completely on the polaroid. The CGI effect involved in that movement is pretty neat too, with no unnecessary flourishes to make the whole thing look gaudy. The workings of the time-travel remain mysterious, even till the end of the drama, and there was never an explanation for them. Why can the time-travel only be done on the night of the full moon? Why can it only be used by people who had a near-death experience? I don't mind the mystery but it feels like they didn't know what else to add and merely pulled elements from different superstitions or spiritual beliefs to make the whole thing "fuller"? A contrast to the simple explanation in Leap Day of how it was the amulet left by Yeesa's mother (as a powerful symbol of her love and protection) that gave Yeesa the ability to time-travel.
Another thing I do wish that was done better was Yuet. As a pivotal character who pushed the plot into its climax, he didn't feel like he was crafted with much thought. His back-story with Kami and his character motivations were too unbelievable. Or rather, I wish his character development weren't as rushed. There should have been more scenes explaining his emotional outbursts so that the audience wouldn't be thrown off by the things he did later in the drama.
All things considered, the plot is a lot more dynamic than Leap Day and the stakes for the characters are much higher this time round. The last few episodes were thrilling to watch and also satisfying when the storyline gradually resolves itself without much complications.
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I really expected this to be similar to the variety shows of kpop groups, shows that will introduce the members to the general public in a relaxing manner. But I was extremely shocked at the some of their punishments and missions as they were pretty daring. Some of these punishments / missions included eating insects and other fear-inducing activities, things I will never see a typical kpop group do so imagine my :o face while watching, especially when they have to rock-climb up an actual cliff-face in Krabi. But I actually enjoyed myself watching their genuine reactions, their hilarious banter with each other and the sides of them that you may not get to see during 全民造星. The show kept to the usual style of ViuTV's variety shows, in their commitment to genuineness. If a show aims to introduce a kpop idol group to the general public, there are certain scenes that have to be edited out like conflicts arising within the group, as it might affect the image of certain members in the group. But footages of Ian losing his temper during one of the games and the subsequent scenes of the opposite team apologising for their unfair methods were kept in the show. That whole episode was quite memorable to me for that reason as it reminded me that they are actual flesh and blood, with feelings, with flaring tempers but also with a growing and protective bond with each other.
Maybe I'm just being biased but I found myself loving MIRROR a lot more and appreciating certain members (who I didn't have much feelings for) after watching this show.
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Good Night Show - King Maker
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Thank you, ViuTV!
This is me crying for the past 30 minutes before I could sit here and type this review.Why the tears, you might ask?
1) Because it has been such a long time since we have seen so many Hong Kong citizens coming together and putting everything they have into pursuing their dreams. There were contestants who sacrificed their time and even their money just so they can perform on the stage. For a city languishing under stress and socio-political uneasiness for many years (especially after the handover in 1997), such a scene is sure to stir the hearts and passions of anyone watching.
2) Because there were so many tears shed by the contestants - doesn't matter if they have won, doesn't matter if their performance had high praises or not. They cry because they have invested emotionally and mentally so much in this show; they cry because despite their conflicts and fights, they see the other contestants not as competitors but as friends, brothers, and comrades in this journey to stardom.
3) Because ViuTV gave them this stage that no other TV stations were willing to give. Not just any stage - but a stage that allowed them to be themselves and not mere commodities in an industry. Everyone involved in this show truly cared for the contestants and want them to show their best abilities - from the producers (including our beloved Fa-Jeh!) to the coaches to the hosts to the crew and even to the voiceover (yes, even the voiceover artiste became popular in Hong Kong after this show aired, this is the funniest thing ever). Want more proof that this competition value people over entertainment? In the Top 20 going into Top 10 segment, Team B decided to send out the weakest 2 contestants to "fight" for 2 spots in Top 10. (Keep in mind, that throughout the competition, these 2 contestants were seen as "baggage" that were lucky enough to get into a good team in previous rounds to bring them into Top 20. And they know it. Maybe they also felt the same way.) In a normal competition, you will never see this happening because common sense - this is a competition, if you're not good enough then no team is going to send you out to fight for something so important. But Team B's coaches were willing to do this, just so that the weakest 2 contestants had this one chance to perform and show everyone what they can do. Literally where will you see this kind of scene?
4) Because the various performances were way better than those put out by "the neighbouring station" *coughs*TVB*coughs* in recent years. The creativity and effort put into these performances is something I will never expect from a HK artiste, much less from those who haven't even stepped into the industry. Even simple songs like GEM's AINY and Hins Cheung's 酷愛 could inspire different interpretations from the different teams that surprisingly elevate the original songs! (This is my favorite performance in the whole competition: Team B4 performing 酷愛 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJBSsllSAOk&ab_channel=ViuTVViuTVOfficialArtistChannel.) As a Cantopop fan for so many years, this show gave me hope and assurance that Cantopop is in the good hands of the next generation.
5) Because this was the show that gave us Mirror and Error. Enough said. Where would be Mirror and Error without this show, without Fa-Jeh? And not just Mirror and Error, but also the other contestants, no matter if they are still in the entertainment industry or not, who have found their confidence and strengths during the show.
When everyone says that "Cantopop is dead" or that "Hong Kong's entertainment industry is witnessing their sunset", thank you ViuTV for proving them wrong.
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The Man Who Kills Troubles
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If the show was just focused on O-Sir and Jovy being high-school teachers and O bringing together a high-school rugby team that rises from the bottom to the top, it would have been much more interesting. But no, they ALWAYS have to add the triads and the police in, and therefore having to include useless characters like Man-Sir and Ace. What a waste of the amazing chemistry between Vincent Wong and Natalie Tong, which has been building up ever since My Unfair Lady.
TVB really needs to stop their obsession over the triads because that's so ... 2000s. Please, do they need some kind of intervention?
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From the get-go, I knew this will be a train-wreck but it's been a long time since I watched Priscilla in a drama so I decided to give it a try. Boy, biggest mistake of the year.The premise was extremely fun and the plot was original - an anti-hero with a rat's body parts built into him after an accident, it's not something I've seen TVB do, but without a strong writing team that focuses on the smaller details to back up the idea, the show ultimately falls apart.
Priscilla is a natural when it comes to comedic moments but remains stagnant during emotional moments. In defense, her character writing lacks the depth that is needed to capture the watcher's (my) attention. And if the female lead character is already written so shabbily, you think more care is dealt to the two supporting female characters? Nadia and Ella are equal "victims" in the misogynistic writing - one a single-dimensional beautiful "goddess" who basically exists to give the male gaze what they want (feel so bad for Zoie that she has become what Sharon Chan and Toby Chan were casted in their roles before - for their sexy exposure of skin and legs), and another a gold-digger who generates more aggravating noise than meaningful talk.
Don't you love it when a show also contradicts its initial message and fat-shames, thereby teaching people that only beautiful people are kind while fat/ugly people are the worst kind of criminals :) I mean, what can you expect from a show that stars Sammy as its lead? :)
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The star of the show has got to be Katy, especially when you consider that this is her first leading opportunity. Maybe because Faye was a very likeable character, but I felt so comfortable watching her. Her crying scenes are done so beautifully, without any over-exaggeration. Really hope TVB will give her more leading roles as she definitely can handle them!
The only flaw in this series is actually Moon's character. I have nothing against Moon, she's a capable actress but I'm so sick and tired of her getting the same kind of roles and plot-lines. Her love-line with Jason was so draggy and unconvincing, and when you add Owen's 'crush' on her, it becomes really annoying and contributes nothing to the plot and theme of the show. Wish Moon can get better roles and not characters that can be written off any time :(
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This was not Ali's best performance but certainly the one that proves she is TVB's best actress right now. Even though there were some scenes she could have done better, it is still a joy to watch her as A-Bo. There is a gradual increase in the flexibility of her body and the vibrancy in her facial expressions as the episodes go by, this is something not many actresses can pull it off.
The producer of this drama also produced ViuTV's anthology drama "The Republic", that focuses on technology in more or less nightmarish / dystopian setting. Although AI Romantic was more comedic and light-hearted, I do see some similarities it shares with The Republic: in the dialogue and the framing of the shots. I'm glad this can be seen as a continuation of The Republic or an in-depth discussions as more episodes also meant the producer has more time and space to play around the themes of technology and artificial intelligence that were already raised in the previous drama.
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The Republic is a valiant effort, considering that this is the first drama in Hong Kong that aims to discuss the various societal issues and problems caused by the addiction / over-reliance on technology. However, the main flaw of this show, is that there was no depth in regards to the issues raised. A lot of these issues seems rehashed over and over again, the arguments they raise against the over-reliance on technology are ones we have heard a lot of times. The writers seem to fall back on "the government using technology to control their citizens" trope constantly, as if they couldn't come up with another plot to deliver their intended message. (Or maybe this was due to the political atmosphere in Hong Kong last year, I mean who can blame them.)
Perhaps the most depressing thing was that there was actually a lot of potential in the premise. It would have been a lot more interesting if the writers knew how to use the show to bring up the problems Hong Kong citizens are facing and embed the show deeper into Hong Kong's society and people.
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Overall, a pleasant watching experience, especially since I love the pairing of Flora/Bowie. The Untraceable Evidence ran so that the Forensic Heroes series could fly (and then dovetail into a disaster).
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Even though this is a small production and the writing went downhill near episode 17, this is by far the best TVB drama of the year. The first 16 episodes had excellent writing and pacing, with a mix of tense moments and comedic scenes. The gradual unravelling of events and truths constantly kept me on the edge of the seat as I try to figure out who was the murderer and what would happen next. But they revealed the murderer too soon and the episodes became a little draggy to watch. In my opinion, there are a lot of ways to show Sam's extreme drive of self-preservation without having him kill off Lai Guo Meng and thus, the whole messy plot of causing the death of Gan's mother.
The character development weren't as tight as the plot, especially when you consider that the whole series centres around Sam and the way his self-preservation led him deeper and deeper into the wrong path. I actually enjoyed watching the character and Shaun Tam did a great job as Sam, but I felt that the writers could have gone deeper into Sam's psyche and pushed him further against the wall. In a way, Sam was both the protagonist and the "villain" of the show, but he wasn't as convincing as a "villain". Still, this is Shaun's best and most natural performance. If there are no other outstanding performances this year, I will root for him to win Best Actor.
However, I was really disappointed with Sam and Gan's love-line. There was absolutely no chemistry between Shaun and Mandy Wong, and at the end, I was confused at the way Sam grovelled for Gan's forgiveness. There was no scene to show exactly when Sam fell so much in love with Gan so I thought he was with her just to get more information about the investigations. I can't say that their romance is unnecessary as taking out their relationship would also lessen the guilt Sam feels about the death of Gan's mother, but I just wish that their romance was more developed.
Something that surprised me was how much I enjoyed the Yat/Sin love-line as I do not like Joel Chan and I thought I will be bored to tears with the typical romance between a deaf girl and a triad member. But there is something that I like in their chemistry, even if I dislike their romance plot. Vivian is adorable as Sin and I can tell that she put a lot of effort into playing a deaf character.
It's pretty obvious that inspiration has been taken from When Heaven Burns - the whole plot of living with blood on your hands and watching your closest friends becoming strangers or enemies, though Brutally Young is a lot darker and more tense, while When Heaven Burns is a meditation about the effects of growing up in a desensitised city. The last shot of Sam and Fu imagining their friends there with them harks back to a similar scene in WHB where all of the characters (including the dead Ka Ming) reunite in an alternative reality - that actually brought a smile to my face (because WHB is my favorite TVB dramas ever).
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Detective Investigation Files II
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The show became a lot more watchable after Carmen left though and the cases were much more interesting, especially the one involving several murders at a education centre.
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